17 Web Developer Portfolio Examples & What to Include

We're going to look at some great web developer portfolio examples, what makes them special, and why you should try to emulate them. Look at these designs and ask yourself:

• What stands out to you most?
• If you were an employer, what would you notice?
• How would you make it better?

We aren't just going for the best-of-the-best, though; we'll also take a look at what might not work. That way, you can navigate the portfolio design process with a clearer idea of what you do and do not want to include.

1. Max Bock

Max Bock's web developer portfolio gets straight to the point. He makes websites. You'll find this straightforward intro style in a lot of portfolios.

The truth is that it's easy to make something complicated; it's harder to make something beautiful and simple. He doesn't just provide a portfolio but a series of tools and advice for those within the industry—clearly showcasing his expertise.

What should you learn from this example web developer portfolio?

• Get straight to the point rather than meandering.
• Showcase your expertise as early as possible.
• A beautiful website doesn't have to be complicated.

2. Olaolu

A site that's playful and fun, Olaolu's portfolio for front-end development features bright colors, geometric shapes, and an exciting, moving design. It's engaging and, most importantly, doesn't take itself too seriously. Today, the web is evolving into something that's significantly less stodgy and corporate, and this portfolio caters to that perfectly.

Developer portfolio examples should:

• Take chances—sometimes it’s okay to be fun, exciting, and trendy.
• Express personality.
• Experiment with new designs.

3. Jason Lengstorf

Jason Lengstorf has, apparently, a lot of ideas. Brightly colored, beautiful, and bold, this portfolio is a showcase of his design skills even before you get to his portfolio pieces. Not only does he have industry-specific posts, but he also engages with a newsletter and compiles and shares a series of use cases and design elements.

Content on developer portfolio examples could include:

• Blog posts about curious design elements.
• Projects that you've managed in the past.
• Opinions about current design trends.

Try Mailchimp’s content studio to help you get started.

4. Oluwakemi Adeleke

Another fun journey; this one's personalized with a "Me-moji" from Apple. This is a highly personal portfolio that really showcases the individual behind the designs; another tactic that you can use when you're developing a portfolio that is sure to make an impression. Keep in mind that if you're a UI/UX designer, your portfolio should also showcase accessibility.

Things you could share in developer portfolio examples include:

• A photo of you doing something you love.
• Biographical information about your career.
• Some things about your hobbies and things you enjoy.

5. Robb

"Hi, my name is Robb." Another very personal portfolio.

People hire other people, not designers; it may seem like an abstraction, but the more you can showcase your personality in the portfolio, the better. This one is particularly notable because it's animated, exciting, and engaging. As you scroll down, all the elements animate and move on over that cool mint green background.

Of course, you really don't want to animate everything on your portfolio. Even parallax can become busy and isolating if used too much.

When should you animate your portfolio?

• When already scrolling.
• Sparingly, when you want attention.
• Only for very important things.

6. Cassie Codes

An interactive, whimsical portfolio with explosive animations. Cassie Codes' portfolio is unique insofar as it is intentionally designed to be playful. This portfolio showcases Cassie's career and her future aspirations; she's not just a programmer and developer but also a thought leader.

Your portfolio should reach beyond yourself, also showing what you want for your career in the future.

What really shows that you're a leader in your industry?

• Links to well-followed social media accounts.
• Posts in periodicals about your field.
• Talks or panels that you've done in the past.

7. Jhey Tompkins

You don't necessarily need to have something that's flashy or full of motion. Jhey's portfolio only has a handful of moving elements. Instead, it leans on testimonials—quotes about his work from those who have loved it in the past. This is another very strong method of developing a reputation, but as someone who has worked for Google, he likely doesn't need too much validation.

Methods of collecting portfolio testimonials:

• Reach out to previous clients.
• Ask colleagues what they think of you.
• Talk to your supervisors.

8. Lynn and Tonic

An incredible piece of frontend technology, Lynn's portfolio depends on the size of your window as you view it. This is a very quirky conceit; in fact, it may not even work clearly for most people. But because it takes a risk, it's memorable. It shows an excellent command of technology while also doing something unconventional.

How risky should you get with your web development?

• If you're going for high-end jobs, you can push more boundaries.
• Most entry-level job seekers don't want to try anything too far out of the ordinary.
• You can take a risk with one element (such as one portfolio element) rather than all of them.

Just keep in mind with every risk, there’s a chance of failure, so be sure anything out of the ordinary is executed very well.

9. Gift Egwuenu

This is another great example of personalization. You can gather virtually everything you need to know about Gift after viewing her portfolio. This links directly to Gift's social accounts and developer accounts, such as her Github, which further proves her expertise, skills, and the breadth of her career.

But, of course, not everyone is a full-fledged developer like Gift. So, what do creators do if they are more designers than developers?

You can also use a website builder if:

• You're knowledgeable enough to customize it.
• You're more a designer than a developer.
• You have a developer you work with.

10. Bruno Simon

Bruno Simon's interactive portfolio is well known in the industry. The site itself is really the portfolio; you come away from viewing it with knowledge of Bruno's skills. Bruno's entire portfolio is an interactive game that you play with your mouse and keyboard. An interactive resume/portfolio is great, if you can pull it off. But it does take a lot of skill, more than most entry-level programmers will have.

Not every portfolio has to be a production. Simplicity can be beneficial if:

• You're a back-end developer and are not particularly knowledgeable about front-end design.
• You have a lot of job experience to back your work up.
• You specialize in minimalist or mobile-forward designs.

11. Timmy O'Mahony

So, what if you're actually a back-end programmer? It should be noted that not all web developers are front-end developers. Most of the flashier examples that we've highlighted are from front-end developers who can create interactive designs.

But back-end programmers are the ones who make the world go around. Do they need to learn Bootstrap and Adobe Illustrator? No, they just need a thorough overview of their skills, which is something Timmy O'Mahony has offered here.

Consider using a content studio or CMS for back-end work. You can also:

• Look for great portfolio templates, like the ones on Mailchimp.
• Download a template or example on Github.
• Work with a developer or a development company.

12. Oluwadare Oluwaseyi

This portfolio is breathtakingly bold. Not only is it full of exciting movement, but it's still clear, dramatic, and engaging. The text fills the page. It isn't hard to make this portfolio. But it's difficult to make well.

This example of a website portfolio clearly shows that Oluwadare has complete command over the page, something that's very hard to do with just a few words.

What are some great trends hitting web domains now?

• Text-first, font-heavy designs that use type first.
• Bright colors and bold accents over deep neutrals.
• Animations and playful, exciting geometric shapes.

13. Josh Comeau

What about just proving your skills? Josh's portfolio is a full-fledged website that features insight and information regarding a multitude of aspects of web development and design.

By reading this page, you can see that Josh has a lot of key insights into what is and isn't happening in the world of design. You know that he's a studied professional, even before you see any of this design work.

How can you establish your professional credentials?

• Publish regular posts on your website.
• Talk about your trade on social media.
• Participate in industry events.

14. Denise Chandler

Gentle, beautiful, and bright, there's really nothing else like this portfolio. This portfolio showcases that the developer has a unique style and knows how to highlight it.

If you have a personal style that stands out, you have the opportunity to highlight that in your portfolio. You aren't selling anyone else's work but your own, and a lot of potential clients want to see the real you. Pages upon pages of boring, static content or generic corporate pages aren't going to sell you quite like something completely original.

But much like the "risk" question earlier, uniqueness can also be alienating. How outside of the norm can your style be? Balance any unique elements by:

• Also including more traditional work.
• Highlighting only one or two unique elements at a time.
• Creating different portfolios for different positions.

15. Jack Jeznach

Check out this trendy, almost grungy, brightly-colored website by a front-end developer and WordPress expert.

This fun and animated website has a series of portfolio projects, along with a complete overview of the technologies that Jack is proficient in. The words just jump off the page, and the color selection is extraordinary, readable, and trendy.

How do you select a color palette for your portfolio?

• Select a color you really love and its complementary color.
• Do a monochrome gradient of the color that you really like.
• Use a standard color picker.

16. Annie

A designer turned developer would, of course, design a gorgeous website, and Annie has done exactly that.

Annie's website introduces us to her, her world, and her work. It’s another great example of personalization. Annie has designed and developed a multitude of projects, each of which is highlighted and described in her portfolio. If you have live projects, you should always highlight them and what you learned from them.

Should you highlight development, design, or both?

• Consider building a portfolio for each.
• Split your portfolio into two sides.
• Highlight projects in which you did both.

17. Brittany Chiang

It's always a risk to have a loading image on your page, but this one's worth it.

This beautiful portfolio has a relaxing but engaging color palette and a primarily text-forward design. Nevertheless, it takes advantage of animations and movement to remain engaging. If you have a loading-heavy site, it's better to load in advance. And if you can get the audience to wait, they will ultimately be more committed.

How do you make a text-heavy site exciting?

• Choose the right fonts.
• Use colors for emphasis.
• Make sure it's accessible.

If you're looking for a job as a web developer, you need to have an online presence. Your potential employer is going to want to see that you have an active website and that you are keeping it up-to-date.

To make the most of your website portfolio, here are some things you should include:

• Connect to your social media profiles. Even if you don't have thousands upon thousands of followers, your employer wants to see that you're engaged in the industry and really following the new trends. Of course, you should also make sure your social media profiles are as professional as possible first.
• Add a few blog posts about design and the industry. Think about the ways in which you disagree with current trends or aspects of design that people have asked for your input about or you believe you have expertise with. Your input is a valuable part of the industry.
• Include a variety of websites that are currently live. Your potential employers want to see your work in use. A live website is worth a handful of theoretical websites because it's something that someone actually bought, paid for, and continues to use.
• Include some thoughtful designs that may not be live yet. This is where you can show your high-risk, unique, or even practically unfeasible designs. Really dig into things that might be considered controversial (such as text-heavy elements or highly animated styles), as this is where you'll show that you're a thought leader.
• Choose a domain name that is short and specific. With an easy-to-remember domain name, people will have an easier time finding you.

This shows the breadth of your skills while also digging into your experience as a web developer. If you don't have any live websites, you likely need more thoughtful designs.

When you're making a portfolio, it can be easy to make some common mistakes. These are the things you should avoid when making your web developer portfolio:

• Do not include generic content. Your portfolio should be tailored to the specific job you want. A half-dozen corporate websites won't help if you're trying for a job in a newly emerging industry.
• Do not use other people's designs. This is plagiarism, and it will get noticed. While it's easy to upload barely-changed templates of other designs (and, realistically, this sometimes happens when working), your portfolio should be as unique as possible. Cite any work from other people that you used.
• Do not use a basic WordPress theme. This looks lazy and unprofessional; even if the potential employer can't identify that it's WordPress, they will know that it looks "the same" as other sites they have seen.
• Do not make it too complicated. Stick to the basics and avoid anything that might be confusing for your potential employer. The more confusing your portfolio site is, the more likely prospective clients are going to give up on trying to figure it out—potentially costing you the job.
• Do not try to include everything. You don't need to include every single thing that you have ever done, only a few that truly showcase the best of your work.

By avoiding these mistakes and following some of the guidance of the portfolio examples for web developers, you can create a portfolio that will be the most useful in helping you get the jobs you want.

Create a Portfolio That Sells Your Skills

Now that you know what to include in your portfolio, it's time to get started. Creating a portfolio can be a daunting task, but it's essential for any web developer. By following these tips and web developer portfolio examples, you can create one that will sell your skills and help you make an impression.

When you are creating a web developer portfolio, it's important to keep in mind that your goal is to highlight your abilities. This means you need to include only the best examples of your work. Don't include anything that is not necessary—unless it does an outstanding job of highlighting your skills—and make sure everything is up-to-date.

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